Locking device



April 27, 1937. v c. w. DuPuls '4 LocKING DEvIcE Filed Jan. 24. 1935 latented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a looking device and more particularly to a looking device for the brake of an automobile or other Vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide automatic mechanism for looking the brake of an automobile or other Vehicle. A further object is to provide key-controlled mechanism for effecting the looking of a brake in looking position, or the looking of a driving member in inoperative position so as to prevent movement of the Vehicle. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification prooeeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanyingV drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of locking mechanism embodying my invention, the looking mechanism being shown applied to the steering Wheel shaft of'an automobile; Fig. 2, a plan view, the view being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a broken view in elevation of the interior of one part of the look casing; and Fig. 4, a similar interior view of the other side of the lock casing.

In. the illustration given, A designates a lock casing; B, lock mechanism inside the casing; and C, connecting mechanism between the looking mechanism within the casing and the brake pedal.

The casing A comprises an inner part I0 telescopically received within the outer part ll. A key-controlled lock 12 extends through the Wall II and is equipped on its inner side with a lever |3 secured to its barrel. The end of the lever l3 is provided with a pin 14. The casing Il is provided with bolt openings l and IE adapted to receive bolts ll and I8. Pivotally mounted on bolt shank I'l, as shown in Fig. 3, is a pawl member IS provided with a depending tooth 20. The forward end of the pawl I9 is slotted at 2I, the slot being adapted to slidingly receive the pin I4.

Pivotally mounted on shaft 18 is a ratchet gear 22 to which is rigidly secured a swing arm 23. The gear teeth 24 are adapted to mesh With the tooth 20 of pawl 19 when the pawl is in the lower position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The tooth 20 of pawl I9 is provided on its side toward the pivot ll with an inclined or cam surface which causes the tooth 20 to slip out of engagement with teeth 24 as the depending link 23 is swung to the right as shown in Fig. 3. The other side of tooth 20 is straight and it engages teeth 24 to prevent movement of the member 23 toward the left, as shown in Fig. 3, when the member |3 is in the lower position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In the lower position shown in dotted lines, the weight of the lever I 0 normally urges tooth 20 toward gear teeth 24. When it is desired to raise lever I9 to bring tooth 20 out of engagement with gear teeth 24, a key is inserted through keyhole |2 to bring about a rotation of the barrel together with the lever 13.

Secured to the inner casing part |0 is an attachment block 25 provided centrally with a hollow recess permitting it to extend half way around the steering shaft tube 26. A free attachment block 21, which is similar to block 25, extends about the other half of the tube 26. The blocks 25 and 21 are provided. with attachment ears 28 which are aligned on opposite sides of the tube 23. The aligned ears are clamped together by a pair of screws 29 threadedly engaging the ears. Preferably, the head of each screw is cut off to prevent removal of the attachment,

blocks.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the inner casing II] is telescopically received within the outer casing II and the two parts are held together by the bolts l1 and 18. The outer ends of the bolts ll and |8 are riveted over to form heads 30 and 3I, as shown more clearly in Fig. l.

The casing parts 10 and II are provided with aligned slots 32 and 33, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, said slots being aligned to permit the swinging movement of the arm 23.

The arm 23 is pivotally secured to elbow 34 by rivet 35. The elbow 34 is equipped with a threaded rod 33 received within the extension member 31. cured to an ear 39 on the brake pedal 40 by means of a rivet 4 I. The elbow 38 is also provided with a threaded shank 42 received within the interiorly threaded sleeve 31. The brake pedal 40 is connected through the angle member 43 With the usual form of brake mechanism (not shown).

The casing members I0 and H are preferably formed of case-hardened metal, and the various parts are so connected by rivets, etc. so as to prevent removal of the looking mechanism. Preferably, all of the exposed parts are of saw and drill resisting material.

In the operation of the device, when the key is turned so that the lever arm I3 is in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 4, the pawl |9 is held in raised position, as shown in Fig. 3, the tooth 20 being thus held out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 24. In this position, the ratchet gear 22 swings freely on the axis I8 so that the A similar elbow 38 is pivotally se- 4.0 ment.

brake pedal can be freely operated. When, however, the key is inserted and turned so as to swing the lever arm I3 downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the tooth 20 of pawl l9 engages the ratchet teeth 24. As the brake pedal is urged forwardly one of teeth 24 will be urged against the cam surface of tooth 26 tending to raise pawl IS. Since pin Ill fits very loosely in the upper part of slot 2 I, and since lever I3 itself is loosely mounted, pawl I9 Will then rise until the lower edge of slot 2l impinges pin I4 and play in the parts is taken up. This allows pawl IS to rise suffioiently to cause disengagement of tooth 20 to allow forward movement of the brake pedal. The brake pedal may now be moved inwardly, the cam surface of tooth 29A ratcheting over teeth 24, but movement of the pedal in the opposite direction is prevented by engagement of tooth 20 with the teeth 24. When the brake pedal is pushed nwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it is held in this position by the engagement between the pawl ig and ratchet gear 22. The car is thus held in looked and braked position, and an unauthorized person is prevented from towing or driving away the car.

To free the brake again, the operator must insert the key within lock I2 and turn it so as to elevate the lever arm l3 to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 4. The engagement of pin M with slot Zi of pawl IS causes the pawl I 9 to be raised, thus disengaging tooth 23 from gear teeth 24. The brake pedal 40 is thus freed for operation.

It will be observed that the operation is automatic, the brake pedal looking itself when it is depressed, after the key has been turned to depress the lever arm I3.

With the brake depressed, the wheels are looked and if the motor should be started, it will automatically die when put into gear for move- All of the looking parts are connected so that there are no separate pieces which might be lost by the operator. While I have shown the looking mechanism applied to the brake of an automobile, it will be understood that it is applicable to other drive or auxiliary parts, whereby operation of the car can be prevented through the use of the looking mechanism. v

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination With the brake pedal of a Vehicle, an arm pivotally secured thereto, and automatic means for looking said arm against movement in one direction only when said pedal is depressed.

2. In combination with the brake pedal of a car, a lock casing, automatic looking mechanism housed within said casing, and means pivotally secured to said pedal for connecting said looking mechanism and said brake pedal, said looking mechanism being operative for looking only when said pedal is depressed.

3. In combination with the brake pedal of an automobile, a lock casing secured to the steering shaft of the automobile, said casing being provided with a slotway, looking mechanism within said casing and equipped with a swing arm extending through said slotway, and connecting means pivotally connected to said swing arm and said brake pedal, said pedal being movable in one direction only when said looking mechanism is operative.

4. Automatic looking mechanism for a Vehicle lever comprising: a connecting member pivotally connected to said lever, a casing, a ratchet gear rotatably mounted in said casing, a swing arm secured to said gear and pivotally connected to said connecting member, and a key-controlled pawl adapted to be moved into engagement with said ratchet gear.

5. Looking mechanism adapted to lock a Vehicle lever in one position, comprising: a look casing, a ratchet gear rotatably mounted therein, a pawl hingedly mounted in said casing, said pawl, when engaging said ratchet gear, permitting movement in one direction but not in the other, means for swinging said pawl into and out of engagement with said ratchet gear, a swing arm secured to said ratchet gear and extending through a slot with which said casing is provided, and means connecting said swing arm with said Vehicle lever.

CHARLES W. DUPUIS. 

